Emilia Arella

Our beloved mother, nana, and bisnonna Emilia Arella passed away at the age of 88, in the evening of June 27, 2022, surrounded by her children at the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital.

Emilia was born to the late Giovanni and Carmela Guerico on April 4, 1934 in Cleto, Cosenza, Italy. On March 22, 1953 Emilia married her childhood sweetheart Filippo. Filippo migrated to Canada first, then later Emilia followed with their young son Giovanni.

Mom was a seamstress by trade, working at Tee Kay for many years and then taking a job in her field at New Method Dry Cleaners until her retirement where she made lifelong friends. The simple things in life brought great joy to mom, first and foremost spending time with us children and grandchildren and most recently her “bambolita” Laurel. She loved tending her garden and sharing the bounty with family, friends and neighbours. Mom liked spending time with her daughter Rosetta at her store, Arella’s Quality Dollar and Import Store and heading out to camp on the weekends (Whitefish and Pine Point Resorts) with daughter Mira and son Benny.

She will be lovingly remembered by her children: Mira (Rob), Rosetta (Ivan), and Benito; grandchildren: Misty (Phil), Jesse (Lisa), Filippo and Chelsey; great grandchild Laurel, brother-in-law Adam Arella, sister-in-law and friend Antonetta, sisters-in-law Maria and Rita, Silvana, Janice Arella and their families as well as by many family members here and in Edmonton and Sault Ste. Marie.

She was predeceased by her husband Filippo (2004) and her son Giovanni “Johnny” Arella (2017), her parents Giovanni and Carmela Guerico, parents-in-law Maria and Pasquale Arella, brothers-in-law Francesco, Giuseppe, Mario, Peter, and Settimo Arella and Saverio Marozzo, sisters-in-law Marta Marozzo and Carmena Arella, nephews: Antonio Marozzo, Eugene and Pasquale Arella as well as numerous family members in Edmonton and Sault Ste. Marie and many dear friends in the last few years.

Thank you to Dr. M. Valente, Dr. Nigro and Dr. Laferriere for taking excellent care of mom. Special thanks to Paramed nurse Georgette.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 5, 2022 when family and friends will gather in St. Anthony’s R.C. Church for the Funeral Mass beginning at 10:30 a.m. celebrated by Rev. Luigi Filippini. Entombment will take place at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Visitation for friends will be held on Monday from 5-7 p.m., with the Vigil Service beginning at 7 p.m. in the Sargent & Son Funeral Chapel, 21 N. Court Street. As expressions of sympathy memorials to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the TBRHS Regional Cancer Centre would be appreciated. On-line condolences may be made at www.sargentandson.com.